GOP sends tough message to lawmakers considering ditching Trump ahead of midterms  —  The Republican National Committee is issuing a warning to rank-and-file lawmakers up for reelection who are considering shying away from President Trump during the campaign: do so at your own peril.

Time Is No Longer on Iran's Side in the Battle of the Blockades  —  The U.S. is helping Gulf states move significant amounts of oil out of the region while thwarting Tehran's shipments  —  DUBAI—By squeezing the Strait of Hormuz, both the U.S. and Iran expected to outlast their foe, believing time would work in their favor.

Kennedy Center Fires Back at Critics with Video of Damaged Ceiling: 'Warning We Can't Ignore'  —  The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is in really bad shape, according to the Kennedy Center's official X account, which posted a series of pictures and a video on Saturday showing damage inside …

Witkoff and Kushner meet with Putin about ending Ukraine war  —  President Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin Saturday and discussed U.S. ideas for ending the war in Ukraine. … - Witkoff and Kushner, who are expected …

Trump Officials Draft Plan to Pay At-Home Parents, Using Funds for Working Ones  —  The proposed benefit, a top policy priority for Vice President JD Vance, would apply only to married couples and tap a fund intended to provide federal child care subsidies to working parents.

US only country to oppose UN resolution correcting Africa's size on world maps  —  The U.S. was the only country to not support a United Nations resolution adjusting the appearance of Africa and other regions on world maps.  —  The body passed the “Correct the Map” initiative by a margin of 164 to one …

Trump Confirms Tariff-Free Beef Is Coming From Brazil And Argentina Amid Quality Controversies  —  Topline  —  President Donald Trump confirmed that Brazil and Argentina, meatpacking nations embroiled in quality scandals in recent months, are among the countries that will be allowed to import …

Trump's Super PAC Drops $10 Million in Texas Senate Race  —  Trump's super PAC spent $10 million this week to support Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in his tight Senate race, a financial disclosure filed Saturday afternoon revealed.  —  The Sept. 4 expenditures for digital advertising marked MAGA Inc.'s …

Trump removes White House shrouds as he prepares for Xi visit  —  The president had ordered repairs to the iconic, and Ionic, columns outside the White House entrance.  —  Summary  —  Workers on Saturday removed drapes shrouding the White House's iconic North Portico …

The Rush-Job Presidency  —  Trump wants his ballroom and arch done while he's in office.  There's a risk.  —  Construction is notoriously slow-going work.  But in Donald Trump's Washington, cranes and bulldozers appear like DoorDash deliveries: fast, frictionless, and on demand.

Saturday's Final Word  —  The hammer of the mouse will drive our screens to new tabs ...  Ed: It's a fair cop.  At the very least, the state bar association needs to medicate a member or two.  —  WCVB 5, Boston: Lindsay Clancy's attorney, Kevin Reddington, had scathing words for the prosecution …

9/11 families plan to ignore ‘spiteful’ Mamdani if he shows up at 25th memorial ceremony  —  Grief-stricken loved ones of 9/11 victims — who want Mayor Zohran Mamdani barred from attending the 25th memorial ceremony at Ground Zero — plan to ignore the “spiteful” socialist if he shows up.

ICE given permission to force-feed Cuban hunger striker with gastric tube  —  Exclusive: court orders seen by Guardian show agency given approval to fit Texas detainee with tube without his consent  —  Federal immigration officials quietly received permission from a judge in recent weeks …

How One Woman Was Caught in Epstein's ‘Cult’—and Escaped  —  Julia Molchanova was 22 and spoke little English when she met Jeffrey Epstein.  For the first time, she tells her story.  —  Early in 2019, Julia Molchanova opened a credit-monitoring app on her phone.